2018 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

2018 Inductees

Originally from Milford, Ohio, Denny Flandreau was one of the most naturally talented athletes to ever attend G.M.A. As an All-American, he was a member of the varsity swimming and diving team and the varsity track team. He helped G.M.A. win its first Mid-South Track Prep Championship in 1956 by scoring 15 of the team’s 47 points, earning points in five events. Denny was a Diving National Champion in 1957 in the springboard event and was named to the 1957-58 All-American Swim Team. Denny received a full scholarship to Florida State University in swimming and diving and had continued success in the pool in college. He was nominated to represent the U.S.A. in the 1964 Olympics before sustaining a career-ending ankle injury.

Juwan was a triathlete at Woodward, lettering in football (four times), track & field (four times), and basketball. He captured region track championships in both the 100-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay in 2009. While he was a track star, he truly excelled on the football field as a member of the 2009-10 playoff football team and the All-State football team in 2009 and 2010. He also captained the team his senior year. He was ranked the No. 5 running back by Scout.com and holds the 2nd and 4th highest rushing seasons in the last two decades for the War Eagles. He also was ranked 3rd in career rushing yards, 3rd in touchdowns, and 2nd in attempts. Juwan finished his Woodward career with 3,244 yards and 37 touchdowns. As a high school recruit, he was listed as the 38th top running back in the nation, the 42nd best overall prospect in Georgia by Rivals.com, and the 65th top running back in the nation by ESPN.com. Juwan attended Duke University on a football scholarship and captained the team his senior year before entering the NFL. He was a part of the 2016 Denver Broncos Super Bowl Championship Team.

At Woodward, Dan played varsity football and soccer, which prepared him for a long rugby career that continues today. As a senior, Dan earned the Ferguson Award (also known as the “hustle award”) in football. He received a football scholarship to Virginia Military Institute, where he was All-State Virginia, All-Conference, honorable mention All-American, and set a school reception record as tight end. After trialing with the Washington Redskins in 1993, he joined the United States National Rugby Team. Dan made more than 50 appearances for Team USA over a 10-year career, and served as team captain in 24 matches, including 11 wins, the most of any U.S. captain. Dan competed in two Rugby World Cups (Ireland in 1999 and Australia in 2003). He also captained the U.S. Sevens Team (the Olympic version) at the 1997 Sevens World Cup in Hong Kong. In 1996, after turning down a contract with the Minnesota Vikings, he moved to Bath, England, and joined the Bath Rugby Club for seven seasons. He was a Bath Rugby European Champion in 1998 and captain of the team for the 2001-02 season, a first for anyAmerican. Dan moved to the Leicester Tigers Rugby Club in 2003 for one season before retiring from international play. He was voted best player in the world in his position several times and was inducted into the U.S.A. Rugby Hall of Fame in 2016. Stephen Jones, the famed Sunday Times rugby correspondent, said of Dan, “His talents were myriad, a remarkable combination of power and dexterity and athleticism, and he can be surely seen as the man that the NFL missed. He is regarded around the world of rugby as arguably America’s greatest player.” After retiring, Dan worked for USA Rugby and then United World Sports as an executive vice president and tournament director. In 2016, he became the director of rugby for Anschutz Entertainment Group. Dan is also a lead analyst for NBC Sports, commentating on rugby.

Coach Waller’s tenure as varsity girls basketball coach at Woodward Academy brought unprecedented success to the program. In his 10 years as coach, the team made state tournament appearances eight out of 10 times. In those appearances, the team was region champions from 1994-1996, 1998-2000, and state champions in 1995, 1996, and 1999, with two consecutive undefeated seasons in 1995 and 1996. Coach Waller’s combined record at Woodward was 223-60 (.788%), and in his tenure he coached several girls who went on to have successful college and professional basketball careers. He was named “Coach of the Year” too many times to count by South Fulton Extra, Georgia Athletic Coaches Association, AJC Tip-Off Club, Extra Point Club, Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, and Coach’s Corner. Among numerous coaching accolades, clinics, camps, sports tours, and invitationals, Coach Waller received the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Victory Club Award for 500 career wins in 2006.

The 2006 Woodward Girls Golf Team won the third consecutive AAA/AAAA State Championship during its spring season. The seven girls that made up the 2006 team combined for an impressive 18 state championship rings among them. Five of the team members were members of three state championship teams and one runner-up during their careers at Woodward. The first of the three consecutive titles came by defeating eight-time champion Columbus High School before they moved down a classification. Four of the girls went on to play Division 1 golf; two have already been inducted into the Woodward Athletic Hall of Fame and one currently plays on the LPGA Tour.

2017 Inductees

Jennifer was a Gold Eagle student and one of the best golfers in Woodward history; no one has come close to matching her achievements on the golf course. She was the only four-time Region Champion golfer in school history and is the school record holder for low round, scoring 67 (5 under par) at a region tournament. During Jennifer’s time at Woodward, the girls’ golf team won three state championships in a row and finished second in her senior year after a very close sudden death playoff to five time AAAAA defending champion Glynn Academy. As an individual in state, she finished second in her freshman year, first in her sophomore year, third in her junior year, and second in her senior year. Jennifer was the Atlanta Junior Golf Grand Champion and played in the U.S. Junior Girls Championship in 2003. She was the GSGA Junior Girls Champion in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, she was named the Georgia Girls State Player of the Year and the Amateur Junior Golf Association Nike Golf Champion. In 2006, she qualified for the Women’s Public Links Championships. Jennifer wrapped up her Woodward career in 2007 as a First Tee of Atlanta Scholarship recipient and was named the AJC Player of the year in Georgia for all classifications. She went on to play collegiately for Columbia University. As a freshman at Columbia, she finished fifth in the Ivy League in 2008 and was a member of the All-Ivy Team as a true freshman. Jennifer lives and works in Atlanta and has two young children, Nia and Noah.

An accomplished quarterback and safety in football and a talented baseball player, Allen’s true love was basketball. He lettered all four years with M.V.P. honors in both his junior and senior years. In 1973, Allen held the GMA/Woodward records for the highest per game average, highest points scored in one season, and highest points in a career. Allen was a member of the Atlanta Journal Constitution Top 25 Players in the state, Atlanta Tipoff Club State All-Star team in 1972-73, and was a recipient of the James Naismith Award. Allen was selected for the All-Region team in his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He was part of the All-State second team his junior year and All-State first team his senior year. Awarded a full Division 1 scholarship to Villanova University, Allen lettered in basketball in 1974 and 1975. More importantly at Villanova, he won the heart of a nursing student Maureen “Moe” McCarthy to whom he was married for 37 years.

Allen and Moe eventually settled in Bethel, CT, where they raised their four children, William M. Ferguson, Brae A. Ferguson, John Allen “Jack” Ferguson, and Georgia M. Ferguson. Allen enjoyed both tennis and golf and spent countless hours coaching and encouraging his children, all of whom also played collegiate sports. Allen was the youngest of four children of John A. Ferguson Sr. ’43 and Frances Allen Ferguson, who taught in the Junior School at GMA/Woodward for more than 20 years. His siblings also attended Woodward: Julie Ferguson Sawyer ’71, Daniel Ferguson ’68, and John A. Ferguson Jr. ’69, along with several nieces and nephews. Allen died of cancer at his home on November 30, 2016, surrounded by his wife and children. Prior to his passing, Allen learned that he would be inducted into the Woodward Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.

Rolffs was a three-year All Mid-South champion swimmer for GMA in the 150 yard medley relay (1955, 1956, 1957), 50 yard freestyle (1955, 1956, 1957), 100 yard freestyle (1955, 1956, 1957), and 200 yard freestyle relay (1955, 1956, 1957). In addition to his selection to the national Prep School All-America Team in 1955, 1956, and 1957, he earned second places in the Southern Interscholastic Championship in 1954 and 1955 and first places in the Southeastern Interscholastic Championships in 1955, 1956, and 1957. He placed 2nd in the Eastern Interscholastic Championships in 1956 and 1957. After his very successful GMA swimming career, Rolffs continued his winning ways swimming at the University of Georgia where he was team captain. At UGA, Rolffs was a six-time SEC Champion in the 50 yard freestyle (1960 and 1961), 100 yard freestyle (1960 and 1961), and 400 yard freestyle relay (1960 and 1961). He was a school record holder and a NCAA Championship qualifier. He was also a member of the All-SEC Swim Team two years running in 1961 and 1962. After graduating from UGA in 1962, Rolffs stayed out of the pool for more than 30 years. In 1994 he became active in U.S. Masters Swimming, where he has regularly ranked in the Top Ten Times nationally for his age division and has won national championships. He also competed in the U.S. National Senior Games winning a national championship. He retired two years ago at age 75 from Duke University as associate professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. Rolffs and his wife, Helga, have two children and four grandchildren and reside in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Rolffs continues to swim competitively. In his retirement he enjoys teaching swimming to adults and doing other volunteer work.

Michael was a triathlete at Woodward, lettering in baseball, basketball, and football. He was a four-year starter and letterman in baseball as a shortstop, third baseman, and pitcher, and served as team captain his junior and senior years. Michael batted .427 as a senior with three homers and 32 RBI, .438 with 28 RBI as a junior, and .500 as a sophomore. He pitched all four years, posting a 2.30 ERA. He was voted as the team Most Valuable Player as a junior and senior and was named as the Southside Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 1992 as a senior. That same year, he was chosen to the Metro Atlanta Dugout Club and Atlanta Braves 400 Club and was also a recipient of the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete award. In addition to his talent in baseball, Michael was a three-year starter as a guard in basketball where he accumulated career totals of 590 points, 265 rebounds, 152 steals, and 112 assists. He also lettered as a sophomore in football, playing quarterback and earning all-county honors in his only season. Michael went on to play collegiate baseball at The Georgia Institute of Technology where he played infield for the Yellow Jackets. He was the first Georgia Tech baseball player to hit a homerun in a College World Series and a valuable member of the Yellow Jackets team that finished as the national runner-up in the 1994 College World Series. His collegiate honors included being named a second team All-American as a senior, a second team All-Atlantic Coast Conference as a junior, and first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference as a senior. He graduated from Georgia Tech with a .322 career average, 238 hits, 47 doubles, 19 homers, and 129 RBIs, and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 1996. Michael was a 2016 inductee to the Georgia Institute of Technology Athletic Hall of Fame. He is the son of Michael F. Sorrow Sr. and Debra Harper Sorrow ’71, and the brother of Brian Sorrow ’96. Michael is married to Meredith Greene Sorrow ’91, and they have three children, all of whom attend Woodward, Michael ’19, Perrin ’20, and Griffin ’23.

“We just seemed to want it more than they did.” Those were the words of a Marist senior linebacker that motivated this 1980 team and Coach Hixon to eventually defeat Marist in a close 14-10 win in the Class AAA state championship game. The 1980 Woodward team was ranked #3 in the state. Woodward lost to Marist earlier in the season, but then proceeded with a 12 game winning streak to meet Marist again for a rematch in the championship game. Coach Hixon carved those infamous words into a wooden plank that he wore around his neck for the state championship game. Our War Eagles overcame an early 10-0 deficit to take the title with an eventual 14-10 victory. During the third quarter, Woodward took the lead, and Marist was given possession of the ball. Marist drove to the Woodward three yard line and gained a first and goal. Marist managed to move the ball to the one yard line, but the War Eagles held them and took over at the one at the start of the fourth quarter. One last possession of Marist was doomed with a Marist fumble that was recovered by Greg Carlson. This Woodward team clearly “wanted it more.” That wooden plank was hung over the locker room door in the 1981 season. That year, each player reached up and touched the sign as they left the locker room to enter the field. That sign still hangs in the locker room above the exit to this very day, and every player to don the Woodward uniform since has touched that sign at each home game on Friday nights in the fall.

Evita Rogers ’99 led Woodward to the 1999 State Championship and the All Area 2nd team in basketball and was chosen as the team captain her senior year. A four-year letter winner and starter at Georgia State University, Evita capped off her career by nishing as the all-time leader in games played (121) and eld goal percentage (53.5 percent). She ranks in the top 10 all-time in eight categories including points scored, games played and started, and rebounds and steals. A member of three NCAA tournament teams and a Women’s National Invitation tournament squad in 2000, Evita concluded her career helping Georgia State post a 56-16 (.778) league mark and an overall record of 89-35 (.718). Evita was a two-time Most Valuable Player selection of the A-Sun Conference tournament and garnered all-conference honors three times. She was a recipient of the 2005 Verizon Academic All-District 3 Award and named to the league’s All-Academic team in three consecutive seasons. Evita graduated from Georgia State on the Dean’s List with a major in exercise sport science and was nominated for “Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges” in 2003. Evita played professional basketball on the Escola Secundaria Santo Andre of the Liga Fenina—the top women’s division in Portugal. She later served as the assistant coach for the Georgia State women’s basketball team. After receiving her master’s degree in sports administration, Evita works at Anytime Fitness, a family owned gym, as the tness manager and trainer.

Casey Simpson-Sonke ’97 led her Woodward volleyball team to the state championship twice. She was selected as the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) State Player of the Year in 1996 and was honored as the team MVP. She received a rst-time honor for the state of Georgia when she was awarded the Gato- rade Circle of Champions State Player of the Year for Georgia in 1995 and 1996. Casey was selected as an alternate for the U.S. Youth Junior National team and accepted a position on the U.S. Elite All-Star team playing internationally for two weeks. Recruited by more than 50 Division I colleges, Casey accepted a full scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She went on to win two ACC titles with three appearances in the NCAA tournament, breaking several records along the way. She was named 2nd team All-ACC as a junior and 1st team All-ACC as a senior. Additionally, she was honored nationally as 1st team All-American Coaches Association during her junior and senior years. Casey was named ACC Player ofthe Week several times and managed to earn a spot on the All-ACC Academic team during her senior year. Casey lives in Marietta with her husband, Jeff, and their ve-year-old daughter, Sienna. She has owned KC and Company for 15 years, selling luxury products to hotels and casinos.

A triathlete, C.J. Williams ’93 participated in football, basketball, and track during his time at Woodward. C.J. was the 1990 Best All-Around Back and Best Offensive Basketball Player. He was named the MVP for the football team and received the Paget Award for Most Outstanding Trackman of the Year in 1991. He also received the Brewster Award for most valuable athlete in 1992-1993. A two-time MVP for basketball, C.J. was the fourth leading scorer in WA basketball history. He was selected to play in the Georgia and Florida High School All-Star game and as a member of the AJC metro Atlanta prep team of the year. He also was on the GHSA All-State team of the year. After graduating from Woodward, he attended Georgia Tech and was named the 1995-1996 Outstanding Back of the Year. In 1996-1997, he received the John Hunsinger Award for Academic and Athletic Excellence. C.J. resides in Riverdale with his son, Calvin, who is an eighth grader at Woodward.

Col. Manchester C. Paget was a beloved Georgia Military Academy English and history teacher. With more than 40 years of service to the Academy, Col. Paget influenced numerous lives in the classroom and as a championship caliber coach in football and track and field. He attended Staunton Military Academy in Virginia, where he excelled in athletics and went on to play football at the University of Alabama. Col. Paget came to GMA in 1928 and coached football until 1935, winning two state championships. As a track and eld coach, he coached a number of successful track stars including GMA alumnus Lewis Perrin Walker whom he took to the National Championship in Chicago in 1932 where Perrin set the present GMA/ Woodward 200M school record at 21.3 seconds. Col. Paget also led the 1959 track team to win the Mid-South Track and Field Championship. In 1961, Paget was named GMA’s rst Alumni Director and Director of Development. He served the Academy until his retirement in 1968.

The 1986 girls track team won the first female state championship in the history of Woodward Academy. The team had a perfect dual meet record of 6-0. In the large invitational competitions, the team won four titles and was runner-up in two others. The invitational losses were to Northeast Macon and Tennessee state champion, Harpeth Hall. The girls were repeat Region 4-AAA Champions winning in 1986 by almost 40 points. During the 1986 season, the team members established seven individual school records and two relay team records. Despite the absence of an individual state champion in a single event, the team scored 49 points, outdistancing Monroe Area’s team, which nished second with 31 points. In addition, the Woodward Academy girls track team exempli ed the term student-athlete with a team average GPA of 3.65.

A vintage eagle, Akeem Hardnett ’04 holds the Woodward record for the triple jump at 48 feet 8 inches in track and field. He received the gold medal in triple jump at the Track Coaches of Georgia Invitational in 2003 and was the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics National Triple Jump Champion in 2002 and 2004. Also in 2004, Akeem was nominated as Track Man of the Year by the Atlanta Track Club, won the state title in triple jump, and brought home the national title at the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics. After graduating from Woodward, Akeem was awarded a scholarship in track and eld to attend the University of Tennessee. In 2007, he helped Tennessee win the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championship. In 2009, he was a member of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field All-Mideast Region team for triple jump. During his time at UT, Akeem was voted as team captain by his teammates and won the team’s Most Improved Award. He also received The Pritchett Award for “Most Dedicated Athlete,” in addition to being a member of the All-SEC Outdoor Second Team. Akeem was a member of the SEC All-Academic Team and graduated with a degree in journalism and electronic media. He is currently number nine on the University of Tennessee Track and Field All-Time Performance List for triple jump at 51 feet 5 inches. Akeem now works for Delta Air Lines where he manages 140 Atlanta-based ight attendants at Harts eld-Jackson International Airport

Keith Harris ’71 earned three varsity letters in football, one in wrestling, and four in track during his time at Woodward. He served as the captain of the 1969 War Eagles football team and captain and MVP of the 1970 Georgia All-State Football championship team. He was voted Back of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC). Keith also was named Lineman of the Year for the Greater Atlanta All-State team and was chosen as a member of the Tri-City and WSB Metro All-Star teams in 1969 and 1970. He received the Sunkist Honorable Mention All-American Award in 1970. Keith’s performance during his years at Woodward led to a full scholarship to attend the University of Georgia where he continued his success as a Bulldog. During his time at UGA, he was a starting athlete three out of his four years. He led the 1973 team in interceptions and was ranked second in tackles. In 1974, he led the team in tackles and was elected team captain. Keith played in the American Bowl College All-Star game and graduated from UGA in 1975 with a B.B.A. in general business. He and his wife, Cricket Justice Harris ’73, have four children—Ashley Bowen, Brittany Carlton Lamb ’03, James Carlton ’00, and Hannah Harris. Keith is managing partner of Justice Advertising Company, an outdoor advertising rm, and owns The Harris Company, a landscape business.

During his time at Woodward, Will Jones ’84 played football and was a two time All-State Defensive End, a recipient of the Colquitt MVP Award as a senior, and Defensive MVP as a junior. He was a member of the 1981 and 1982 Sub-Region Champion Quarter nals teams, with eight straight shutouts, as well as a member of the 1983 Region Champion Quarter nals team. Will was the student body vice president and was voted Most Athletic by his senior class. He also played basketball during his time as a War Eagle and earned the MVP award during the 1983-1984 season. Respected by his teammates, Will was voted captain of the football and basketball teams. In 1984, he received the Woodward Academy President’s Award. Will went to the University of Georgia on a full football scholarship. He met his wife, Karen, at UGA, and asked her on their first date while she was Miss Georgia Football. They have been married for more than 25 years and have three sons: William, who attends The College of William & Mary on a foot- ball scholarship playing on the offensive line, and twins, Matthew and Jeff, seniors at Richmond Academy in Augusta. Will is the executive director at the Augusta National Golf Club.

Michael “Spider” Maxwell ’83 was the Georgia State High School Junior Varsity All-Around champion for gymnastics in 1979 and was the Varsity All-Around champion from 1980-1983. Spider received a full gymnastics scholarship to Pennsylvania State University. In 1984, he was the USGF Junior Elite National All-Around champion and the champion of the South African Cup. He placed third All-Around in the Cup of the Americas/Cuban International Open and was ninth in the NCAA Nationals. In 1987, Spider re- ceived the bronze medal on vault at the U.S. National Championship, East Team Captain at the Olympics Sports Festival, NCAA All-American on the parallel bars, and won the Nissen Award—the highest honor bestowed to collegiate gymnasts. Spider is married to fellow Penn State graduate, Jennifer, and they live on the southside of Atlanta with their son, Sam.

Lacey Agnew ’06 led Woodward to three consecutive AAAA State Championships in golf. In 2006, she finished as the runner-up in individual medal play as a senior and was named Rookie of the Year as a freshman on a team that finished runner-up in the state tournament. Lacey also played basketball at Woodward where she was the starting guard. She helped lead the team to three regional championships and four state tournament appearances. She earned 10 varsity letters during her Woodward career—four in golf, four in basketball, and one each in volleyball and softball. Lacey credits Coach Jon Merrill for his influence on her entire athletic career. After Woodward, she joined the golf team at Florida State University. She played in the NCAA championship and holds the record for the lowest round in school history. Lacey notched six top 10 finishes and tied the Seminole school record with a low round of 65 which earned her selection to play in Asia. She began touring with the LPGA in 2012. Lacey has participated in several LPGA Futures Tour events since graduating from FSU. She tied for 20th which gained her provision- al status on the LPGA Tour and full-exempt status on the Symetra Tour. Lacey enjoys the love and support of her parents, Janet and Wes, her brothers, Tripp and Carter, and her nephew, Logan.

Named an AAU All-American in 1959, William Cass served as the captain of the Georgia Military Academy swim team as a junior and senior. Mr. Cass was an AAU National Champion and an American record holder. He ranked No. 1 in the nation in 200 and 50 meter freestyles. He went on to swim for Indiana University, where he was a five-time All-American. Mr. Cass lives and works in Indiana.

On the anniversary of his 25th year of NCAA participation, Tommy Lyons became one of only six former NCAA student-athletes chosen per year to receive the distinguished Silver Anniversary Award. His post-Woodward Academy experience has been filled with accomplishments, including being 14th round selection for the Denver Broncos in 1971 and playing for six seasons in the NFL. Dr. Lyons is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He has served as guest conductor for the Denver Symphony Orchestra. In 1976, Dr. Lyons received the Distinguished Alumni Award, and he currently serves on the Academy's Advisory Board. He and his wife, Cheryl, are parents to Jacob '01, Jordan '04, and Zachary.

Four-time Georgia High School Wrestling State Champion Johnny Stallings Jr. posted an overall 103 - 1 career record as a Woodward Academy student and was a 1975 High School All-American. Mr. Stallings went on to join the wrestling team at Auburn University, where he became the 1977 and 1979 SEC Collegiate Wrestling Champion, the 1977 SEC Tournament Outstanding Wrestler, and a three-time NCAA tournament qualifier. Mr. Stallings and his wife, Cathleen, reside in Bethlehem, Georgia.

As a basketball and baseball player for Woodward Academy, Jim Suddath was the first student to receive the Georgia High School Athletic Association Scholar Athlete of the Year award. Mr. Suddath ranked second in career points scored in Academy history. He was a four-year letter winner, a three-time MVP, and a Parade All-American in basketball as well as a three-year letter winner in baseball. He also was ranked the No. 2 basketball player in the state and received a full athletic scholarship to Duke University. During his time at Duke, Mr. Suddath was a member of two ACC Championship teams and played for the Final Four team in 1978. He and his wife, Jenny, have four children—Joshua, Joanna, Julia, and Jordan.

Teresa Lopez Mann was a four-year letter winner in basketball and volleyball and a three-year letter winner in tennis at Woodward Academy. In her senior year, she received the Gold Eagle as well as the titles of Most Valuable Girl Athlete and MVP for both basketball and volleyball. In girls basketball, Mrs. Mann holds the Academy record for most career points scored with 1,464. She averaged 19.2 points per game in her senior season and is third all-time in rebounds. After Woodward, Mrs. Mann played on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets basketball team and was name Best Offensive Player in 1980. She is married to fellow former Georgia Tech basketball player John Mann. They live in Atlanta with their two children, Samantha and J.J.

Dana Jefferson, a member of the 1986 Woodward Academy State Championship track team and the recipient of the U.S. Army National Scholar-Athlete Award, is a two-time Atlanta Track Club Woman of the Year in 220 yards (1984 - 85) and the 1986 Atlanta Track Club Woman of the Year in the 400 meter race. In 1985, she placed first in 220 yards at the state meet as well as second in the 200 meter race. Ms. Jefferson also participated in the AAU Junior Olympics that year, taking first place in the 200 and 440 meter races. At the 1986 state track meet, she placed first in the 1,600 meter relay, second in the 220 yards, and third in the 440 yards. She placed first in the 100 meter, 200 meter, and mile relays at the region track meet the following year. Ms. Jefferson is currently a math teacher at Woodward Academy's Middle School and is the mother of Heyley and Jace Gatewood.

Kenny Spears was the first football player in Woodward Academy history to rush as many as 4,543 career rushing yards. His Woodward career highlights also include 43 touchdowns and the team's MVP title in 1986 and 1987. Mr. Spears was the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Offensive Player of the Year and Atlanta Touchdown Club Back of the Year in 1987. After Woodward, he went on to attend the University of Notre Dame, where he was a member of the 1988 National Championship team.

With 1,755 career points, Anthony Thomas holds a top-five spot in career points scored in Woodward Academy history. Mr. Thomas was selected to the All-State team in 1996, 1997, and 1998 and was named the MVP in each of those years. Among the top members of his class academically, he received a full scholarship to Furman University, where he was a member of the region championship team in 1996 and 1997. Mr. Thomas went on to receive a law degree from Georgia State University. He is now the Dean of Students for the Upper School at Woodward Academy. He and his family reside in Atlanta.

A member of the 2002 State Tournament basketball team, Julian Jenkins was a four-year varsity letter winner and two-time MVP for the Woodward Academy boys basketball team as well as a recipient of the Triathlete Award. Mr. Jenkins was the 2001 - 2002 Georgia Gatorade High School Football Player of the Year and a member of the Riddell Footwear High School All-American Team in 2001. CNNSI and ESPN.com both ranked him among the top 100 football players in the nation. When he graduated magna cum laude from Woodward, Mr. Jenkins received the Gresham Award and was chosen as the Best All-Around Senior for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Cup. At Stanford University, he started all 22 games as a junior and senior and played 42 of the 44 games of his career. Also among his collegiate accomplishments are two honorable mentions in the All-Pac-10 selection, 22 tackles for loss, 17 quarterback sacks, and 130 total tackles. After Stanford, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Mr. Jenkins in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft, and he played in the NFL for three years. Mr. Jenkins currently works with the National Collegiate Scouting Association to help high school student-athletes in the recruiting process.

Three-time captain and MVP of the Woodward Academy girls basketball team, Kim Beck holds the records for most assists, second-most steals, and sixth-highest career points in Academy history. As a senior, Ms. Beck was a two-time region player of the year and a member of the All-State team. She also was a member of the region championship teams in 2002 and 2003 as well as the region runner-up in 2000. She went on to be a four-year starter at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and became the Atlantic-1 Rookie of the Year in 2005. Ms. Beck was one of three finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award and an AP All-American honorable mention in 2007. The following year, the Seattle Storm selected her as the 36th overall pick in the WNBA Draft, where she played for two years. Ms. Beck was honored in March 2015 as a member of the third class of Atlantic 10 Legends at the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship in Richmond, Virginia. Ms. Beck currently teaches at a charter school in southeast Washington, D.C.

The 1996 Woodward Academy girls basketball team posted a 31-game winning streak—tying the Academy record for most wins in a season—and set the school record with its consecutive 61 game victories to complete its undefeated season as two-time State AAA Champions. The team also won the Region 5-AAA Championship for three consecutive years (1994 - 1996) and was ranked the No. 2 team in the nation by Street & Smith. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution named the team No. 1 in the state, and USA Today ranked it No. 1 in the South and No. 4 in the nation.

A member of two state championship golf teams at Woodward, Mr. Simpson was the 1973 Atlanta Junior Champion and the 1974 Georgia Junior Champion and Westlake National Junior Champion. At the University of Georgia, he was a two-time member of the College All Star Team, the 1976 Southern Amateur Champion, and a three-time winner of the Georgia Open Championship. With 11 top 10 finishes in 1989, Mr. Simpson posted 12 top 10 finishes in 1990. A four-time winner on the PGA Tour, he was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. Mr. Simpson has four children—Chris, Katie, Jessica, and Calleigh.

A four-time undefeated wrestling state champion, Mr. Fritts posted a 101-0 career record as a student at Woodward (1979-1983). Also a two-time High School All American in 1982 and 1983, Mr. Fritts set state and national records for consecutive victories without a defeat. He was the last wrestler at Woodward to wrestle a match for Coach Johnny Stallings. Mr. Fritts wrestled at both the United States Naval Academy and James Madison University, graduating from the latter in 1989. In 1990, he began teaching at Woodward, where he coached wrestling until stepping down as head coach in 2014. Mr. Fritts captured his 400th career duals victory in 2013. He and his wife, Sue, have two children, Teagan ’19 and Hayden ’23.

Scoring 1,565 career points while leading the Woodward girls basketball team to a 62-0 record and back-to-back state champion- ships in 1995 and 1996, Ms. Brown was named a High School All American both years. She played on the U.S. Sports Festival Team in 1995, was named Miss Georgia Basketball in 1995 and 1996, and was recognized as Naismith National Prep Player of the Year in 1996. Also that year, Ms. Brown was named Gatorade Prep Player of the Year and a Parade All American. While a freshman at the University of Georgia, she was a starting point guard. She led the team to reach the 1999 Final Four, capture the 2000 SEC Championship, and win the 2001 SEC Tournament. Ms. Brown played in the WNBA and competed professionally throughout Europe.

The Woodward 1970 football team posted a 13-1 overall record, seven shutouts, and 12 consecutive wins to finish the season as Class AA State Champions—the first football state championship in Academy history.

Inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1988, Mr. Hixon posted a career record of 279-91-17 as a football coach, compiling a 210-71-8 record during his coaching career at GMA/Woodward. During his 25 years at Woodward, Mr. Hixon led two football teams to victory in the 1970 and 1980 state championships. He also was named the 1985 National High School Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Coach of the Year in 1970 and 1980, and led his team to 17 playoff appearances. In 2006, Mr. Hixon was inducted posthumously into the Georgia Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame.

During his 31 years coaching at Woodward, Mr. Stallings led the wrestling team to three state championships, the boys’ golf team to three state championships, and coached football for all 31 years, including 10 as head coach. The football team won two state championships, in 1970 and 1980, and five regional titles, during his tenure as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. A member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Mr. Stallings also was inducted into the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2004. Mr. Stallings’ wife, Annette, spent more than 25 years as a Woodward staff member. The Stallings sent all five of their children to Woodward, including John Jr. ’75, Mandy ’76, Cyndy ’79, Clint ’82, and Angie ’86.

A Woodward Academy Governing Board member for 25 years, Mr. Colquitt led the groups responsible for changing the school’s name from GMA to Woodward Academy and for changing the school’s curriculum to phase out the military program. He established the Woodward Governing Board while serving as Chairman of the Executive Committee. In 1962, Mr. Colquitt provided leadership for a major capital construction effort that resulted in the creation of Colquitt Stadium. He also was honored by the naming of the Colquitt Rifle Team and the Colquitt Student Hall. In 2004, the James A. Colquitt Scholarship Fund was established to recognize his significant impact on the Academy. Each year, the overall MVP of the school’s football program receives an award named in Mr. Colquitt’s honor.

Head swim coach for GMA for more than 19 years, Mr. Fouts led the swim team to 12 state championships. During his tenure, he coached more than 60 All American athletes chosen by the National Interscholastic Swimmers Coaches Association. Mr. Fouts’ son, Les Fouts Jr., graduated from GMA in 1948.